Dark Effect
by Tagermeister
Summary: There is a prophesy. That when the galaxy is in peril, The Shepard will return to save it. What happens when The Shepard isn't what the galaxy expects
1. Prologue

"Did that all really happen?" The young girl asked. Her gaze turning away from the multitude of stars that spanned the night sky like glittering jewels. "Did The Shepard and her companions really beat the Reapers?"

The female's mandibles flared into a turian smile, knowing that the story of The Shepard was a hard one to swallow for a child. "Yes it did. But, a lot of the story is lost in time. Some of it embellished by those that wanted to use The Shepard as a figure of hope," she replied, her talons resting gently on the top of the girls head.

"Wow, I wanna go off and explore the stars. Just like The Shepard. Do you think I could be like her?" The girls indigo lips parted in a broad smile of innocence. "Do you think I could become a great explorer."

The turian female laughed, the sound light despite the flange effect of the translator. "I don't see why not. There are billions upon billions of stars that are still to be explored," she said, stroking the young asari's cheek. "But first you need to sleep, otherwise you won't have the energy to go exploring tomorrow will you?"

The girl huffed, stamping her foot against the pale dirt. "I don't wanna sleep, I want more stories about the Shepard, Lentana." Her lips pursed as she pouted. All around them the trees rustled in the wind, sighing softly as if they disapproved of her actions.

Lentana sighed as well, shaking her head as she crouched down and took the girls tiny hand in her talons. "I don't know any other stories, Thera. The only thing left I haven't told you is just superstition and rumor. But if you come inside I promise to tell you." Bribery with a piece of information about the girls favorite hero always worked, like a magic spell designed to make children follow anything.

Thera grinned, happy in her hollow victory. "Something you haven't told me?" She tugged on Lentana's arm, trying to drag her back to the settlement. "Come on, come on. I wanna hear the story."

Lentana laughed, scooping up Thera in her arms and gently placing her on her shoulders. They walked back to the settlement, greeting friends as they got back. Their journey was fairly short, passing the small shopping district before turning off to head down the street to their home. Lentana let Thera climb down from her back and turned the lights on. With the house illuminated in soft lighting she ushered Thera to her bedroom.

"Now you promise to go to sleep once I've told you the last story I know?" Lentana said softly, tucking Thera into bed

"I promise," Thera whispered, yawning once her head hit the pillow.

"Good. Now there is a rumor. One that started after the Shepard died, do you know what it is?" She asked, smiling when Thera shook her head. "Well it's been said that if ever the galaxy is in danger, The Shepard will return to save us all. Just like the stories. Now whether that's true or not I don't know. But if we ever face a threat like the Reapers again, then we might need the Shepard again."

Thera giggled and smiled. "Don't worry Lentana, I'll protect the galaxy. Just like The Shepard, you'll see." With a final yawn, she drifted off into the land of dreams, still smiling as Lentana left her to a peaceful sleep.

"There's nothing that could cause such a threat, little wing. nothing at all," she whispered, the door closing behind her as she left the room.


	2. Escape

Darkness seeped into every corner of the dingy cell. The walls had become faded, the sheen eroded away, leaving nothing but rust. Floor tiles lay cracked and broken, the sickly green foliage peeking through each gap. The door shunted to the side, protesting with a high pitched whine as it slid open. Light pierced the darkness, shedding light on the man curled up on the floor in the corner. The man shied away from the light, the darkness of captivity making it painful to look at. The sound of something tossed at his feet forced him to look up, his vision faltering under the contrasting levels of illumination. He could just about make out a large man standing by the door, encased in armor.

"Get up, we need to leave this place," The man said. He looked over his shoulder, a shadow of worry cast over his face. He faced the man lying on the floor again and gestured to his feet. "Come on, suit up and let's go."

The captive man looked at his feet, finding a patchwork set of armor laying there. A noise came from somewhere deep in the facility, a hollow scream that seemed to wrench through the very air itself. It pushed the captive into action. He reached down and pulled on the pieces as quickly as his hands would allow His matted hair fell around his face as he stood up.

"Good, now we need to get out of here. There's something wrong, something … evil in this place. We can't stay here," his unnamed saviour whispered. He looked over his shoulder again, the screams steadily getting closer. He unslung his rifle from his back, fumbling with a thermal clip before it slid into the receiver. "I'll scout up ahead, clear the way. Don't lag too far behind." Before the captive could say anything, he left. Disappearing into the hall with the sound of static as he activated his cloak.

Standing there alone in the wavering light, freedom mere steps away yet the screaming sounds caused him to hesitate. _What did that guy mean when he said there was something evil here?_ Another wail echoing through to his cell. He looked around, _If I'm going to die, I might as well do it a free man_. The prisoner crept out into the corridor, there was nothing there but he got the feeling that if he moved carelessly he would die. Once he was certain that nothing was ahead he made a dash for the end of the hallway, sprinting 70 meters before coming to a dead stop.

"What happened here?" he muttered, staring around the ruined room that lay ahead. The walls had been scorched with some sort of fire, and black patches marred the floors. There were smashed desks and chairs strewn across the room, like a tempest had swept through and gutted the room. _How did I not hear any of this?_ There were a few bodies strewn across the floor, Asari, Turian, Human and Salarian. He checked the closest one to him,_ Dead_, he thought grimly, Nothing I can do for them now._ I need to get out of here._

He spotted a pistol on one of the dead salarians. He grabbed it and checked the ammo count, _Only seven shots_. He scanned the other bodies for thermal clips but couldn't see any. There wasn't time to check them though as another scream echoed off the walls. It sounded close by, yet wasn't getting any closer. What non-matted hair he had stood up on the back of his neck, the feeling of being watched gave him an uncomfortable feeling at the base of his skull. He instinctively reached back there, the docking cradle for a bio-amp sat empty. _Doubt I could use my biotics anyway._

He clicked the safety and headed out the opposite entrance. He crept cautiously through the maze of hallways, every now and then hearing noises that threatened pain, yet never appearing. He seemed to be in a facility, what kind was lost on him. Everything looked ancient, yet the bodies in that room where fresh.

_Finally made it out into the open ... well an open courtyard_. The foliage was wild, almost taking over the entire area. Thick green vines tangled themselves around a broken staircase, like pythons unwilling to let go of their prey. Stopping to check that nothing had been following, the captive cautiously picked his way through the undergrowth. Each footstep sounding as loud as an APC rolling over shards of glass. Every step caused him to wince, stopping to listen out for the screams that seemed to follow him. Once he was convinced that he was relatively safe, he quickened his pace. Making it half way across the courtyard before the air shook with a violent roar.

He looked back towards the origin of the sound, the door he had just come through. A massive beast stood at the other end of the corridor, heavily muscled, its face disfigured and distorted in a vicious snarl. Muddy brown skin seemed to ripple as its chest heaved with every breath. Heavy looking manacles encompassed its neck, wrists and ankles, a chain dragging behind its head grotesquely shaped head. It growled, displaying a row of sharp teeth, heated breath steamed from what looked like a nose.

_Shit!_

The former captive looked at the door ahead, at his commandeered pistol and back to the monster that stared at him from the hallway. _I can't kill it with seven shots, no way is that going to happen. Only option is to run, just hope it's as slow as it looks_. He crouched slowly, twisting his body in preparation to run at full speed. The almost earsplitting roar was his signal to sprint for his life. Dashing at full pelt, he headed for the exit. The ground began to shake as the huge monstrosity gave chase. There was no looking back. If he did all it would do is let him know how close the hulking beast was to him, and how close he was to death.

Through twists and turns, he kept running. The roaring steadily getting closer until he ducked into a side door or turned a corner. The sound of crashing letting him know that his pursuer had a hard time slowing down. That was the only thing keeping him alive, the size difference meant he was nimbler. Another roar let him know that the beast was on the move again, hunting him. By some miracle he managed to find the facilities entrance. He breathed a sigh of relief, stopping only to catch his breath for a second.

He turned to his right, facing the large hole that would be his exit away from this nightmare of a place. What used to be a foyer was almost unrecognizable, the desk shattered, waiting chairs lay splintered across the floor. It looked like every other part of the buildings he had raced through. There was a smashing sound behind him, causing him to turn his head to see the wall collapsing to reveal the beast that hadn't stopped chasing.

"Get down!" someone shouted. The voice sent the thoughts of death flying from the captives mind.

The prisoner dropped to the broken floor just as gunfire rang out all around him. The beast that had been chasing him roared in defiance, a primal challenge to the ones who would interfere in its hunt. It stepped forward, each one slower than the last. Until it simply collapsed under the staggered fire power.

An armored hand reached down to help him up, an offer of help in a place where there had been none just moments before. He grabbed onto it, letting it pull him to his feet. When he finally stood up his gaze met two large cyan eyes. He blinked and took a step back so he could see his savior. What he saw was, an Asari.

"You part of the squad sent here for recon?" She asked, her tone of voice brusque. She took a step back, taking a glance at the very dead beast laying a few feet away. "You know what the hell that thing is?"

He blinked, was she here because the guy who let me out called for help? He looked past her to the rest of her squad, six soldiers including her. Two turians, a human a krogan and a quarian. All heavily armed, the krogan glowing blue with biotics. "No, I was being held here. I think the last of the recon squad you're looking for helped me escape. I haven't seen him since and to be honest I don't think he survived. I was lucky, I think there's worse things back there than that," he answered, pointing to the carcass.

"You were being ... held here?" The look of shock flashing across her blue features before a stoney mask slid on. "What were you doing here then? This is an abandoned research facility. Who held you here?"

"I don't know. I was captured during a mission and have been MIA ever since," he explained. He didn't have a clue to why or who, but he was going to find out. It was his job to know every dangerous element in the galaxy and keep track of them.

The asari thrust her hand out, waiting for him to take it in a handshake. "Well I'm Lieutenant Thera S'Elia, with the Galactic Marine corps. You are?"

The former captive took her hand, shaking it firmly. "Gideon Roth, former Council Spectre."


End file.
